Sympathy for the Devil
by Raikune
Summary: Onesided AkitoxTohru. Akito loathes Tohru, he can't understand why his Juunishi care so much for her. When he discovers that Tohru might be attracted to him, the Sohma lord decides to use this weakness against her. A deadly game begins...R
1. Fatal Attraction

A/N: This is NOT an Akito-forces-Tohru-to-live-in-the-Main-House fic. This is a new kind of AkitoxTohru fic. A fic where the love is totally one-sided and not mutual. Because obsession is a dangerous thing. Because I'm tired of all the fluffy AkitoxTohru stuff and a one-sided love brings on terrible consequences. Because I hate Tohru and love Akito XD

Also, AkitoxTohru fics seem to be getting loads of reviews so I thought I'd cash in on it. Cha-ching!

And because of SunMoonAndSpoon, who was so desperate to read the first chapter even though I haven't got a plot as such. Hahaha. This chapter is for you, my dear.

Please note that this fic is set around vol. 3, so Tohru never saw Akito at her highschool. She's only seen him that one time, when he was leaning out the window. In other words, she doesn't know who he really is. Got it?

Enjoy!

* * *

Akito Sohma lay on his porch, sunlight streaming around him, and thought. 

He thought about all the kinds of shadow in the world. The sun-baked shadows of high noon, all the dry, secret shadows locked up in drawers and bureaus, the old, musty dusty shadows of library bookcases, the cold shadows of night lying curled on the earth. The shadows under people's eyes, the cool, dark depths of vast ocean, a world of shade under the sun…there were so many.

Akito popped his lips. Right now, on the night side of the earth, there was a great rolling blackness, creeping toward him. When the sky darkened it would come. And he would look at the moon, and see its dark face turned away from him. He imagined what the dark side of the moon looked like. Vast, and airless, and cold.

Akito curled himself up. They thought **they **were cursed, his Juunishi. They didn't know what the word meant. He was the most cursed, wretched creature on this earth.

He could feel himself getting weaker, day by day. He hated that. Every breath made him wince, every slight temperature change hurtled him into a fever or uncontrollable shaking, and headaches burst from his forehead like fireworks.

He began chewing on his lip, chewing until he tasted blood.

"Akito-san?"

Akito jerked. Hatori had appeared silently behind him, as was his way. The doctor's eyes flickered as he saw Akito's bloody lip but his face remained passive.

"Akito-san, it is time for your check-up." Hatori placed his medical bag down with a slight thud.

"I'm aware of that, Hatori." Akito sat up, and let the Dragon's cool, passionless hands move across his thin frame.

Hatori touched his god's pale, waxen face; with its surprisingly thick lashes, moved his fingers to cup the warm throat. He then gently felt the boy's thin arms. Akito made a small sound of discomfort.

"Do they ache?"

Mute nod.

"If you just wait here," Hatori said calmly, emotionlessly, pitilessly, "I can get you some painkillers. I know the Tylenol doesn't work anymore so I've ordered some stronger pills." He rose gracefully, unfolding to his full height in front of the slumped god. And then he was away, his medical coat a white blur in the gloom. Akito kept himself from shouting after him.

_You leave me. You stride away, unconcerned, unruffled. We're two beings apart. We pass each other by, but never touch. _

Akito smiled. If he touched his ice-dragon, he would probably freeze and shatter.

He drew his knees up. A cool gust ripped through his thin yukata, sending shivers running down his body. The sun had disappeared behind a cloud.

The boy thought of the warmth of Hatori's long slender body, his glacial eyes. A warm body, brimming with health: Dragons hardly ever got sick.

Akito drew his arm back and smacked his fist against the porch with all his might. _Thud. _

The pain distracted him for a few moments. Bruises welled under his white skin.

Hatori returned, with some pills and water. He caught Akito staring at his bruised hand with an interested expression. The doctor set down the glass.

"What did you do to your hand and lip?" Faint annoyance was in his voice. The boy's eyes widened slightly.

"Akito-san?"

The god's dark silence drifted over him.

"All right." Hatori sighed in irritation. "Look, take these pills – they'll stop muscular pain. Then let me look at you again."

_**Thwack**_

Hatori swallowed. Akito had lashed the glass; splashing water between the porch slates. His eyes were dark and hot; water trickled past Akito's small bare toes.

"…At least let me look at your lip, Akito-san."

"No." Akito drew up his knees again and settled his arms on them.

"I need –"

"_I_ need to be _alone _right now, Hatori," the boy hissed. He sounded hurt.

The doctor drew back. He couldn't understand quite what it was he'd done; only that he had passed some line and made his lord angry. But he was still the doctor.

He placed the pills in a tissue from his pocket, made a little wad, and set it down close to a bare ankle. "Take these at some point," he said quietly. "Otherwise your pain might spread to your other muscles."

Akito glared at his Dragon. He waited until the man had left before eyeing the tissue.

He took the pills in his slender fingers and rolled them around: pale blue in colour, shiny, plastic-looking.

He mashed them into powder flakes with his thumb.

---

It was hours later and Akito's whole body was hurting. Even his hair and he was pretty sure _that_ wasn't normal. He lay stretched out on his bed, eyes closed, trying to move and breathe as little as possible. _The pain…_he turned his head and bit down on his pillow.

_I shouldn't have destroyed those pills Hatori gave me. _Akito scowled. But he daren't ask for more. He was too stubborn.

It was too late anyway. Minutes later, he was in the throws of delirium.

Hatori heard the boy's cries for him and came running to him, as he always he did. He made no comment that it was obvious Akito hadn't taken his medicine. In this state Akito was unwilling to swallow anything. So the doctor just held him, held him tight as Akito sweated and raved, and tried to break free, flailing at imaginary things that swarmed like flies around his head.

Akito slumped as the worst of his fever passed. He couldn't stop himself shaking. A cold compress pressed itself against his forehead and the god shuddered, leaning into Hatori's touch.

They sat there for a minute. Hatori could feel the boy's rapid pulse beating throughout his body.

Then the doctor realised that Akito was muttering under his breath; one word that came in little pants.

"Her…her, her, her…"

"Akito-san?"

_That girl. That girl. _Akito didn't hear him. He rocked back and forth as he remembered the day she'd suddenly turned and saw him leaning out of the window…he closed his eyes…

_He'd been watching her; she was walking away, hair streaming after her, a bright figure clothed in sunlight. And then, sharply, she'd turned, as if sensing his presence; his dark, cold self, and she was staring at him with wide large eyes, and blossoms fell around them and were swept up in a breeze…_

They'd locked eyes for one trembling moment, and Akito saw fear in her gaze as she looked at him. Fear, surprise, and…a blush, crawling up her face.

He'd given her a deep, searching look before withdrawing. The very sight of her had sent a stab of hate through his heart. Yes, it was her. He couldn't remember her name. What was it…?

_tohru_

Akito snapped his eyes open. There it was; an exquisite source for all his pain. _She_ was the cause of all his suffering; his maddening, lingering headaches and shortness of breath. That girl was…

"I _want_ her," he told Hatori, "I want her in front of me, right now."

The doctor looked at him: he knew exactly who Akito was talking about. He put his hands on Akito's shoulders and forced the boy to lie down.

"Akito. You're very ill right now. I don't advise any visitations of any sort in your condition -"

"I want," the god whispered, "to understand what my Juunishi _love _about her so much. Why they coddle her and smile at her like that…"

"Honda-kun is at school right now, Akito-san," Hatori began, then realised his horrible mistake.

He was dragged forward as Akito dug his nails into his shirt.

"_Honda-kun?" _Akito smiled. "I didn't realise you were so familiar with her, Hatori…you don't go out much…does she come here to visit you, too?"

"No, Akito-san." Hatori kept his face blank.

"Well, I want her. I want to see this special _Honda-kun _everyone is talking about. I want to see her and find out what makes her so special that you love her over your _God."_

"I don't –"

Akito felt his eyelids scrape over his soft eyeballs and he groaned. "Just…get her, Hatori. I don't care if she's in school. _Get her or I won't eat or sleep for the rest of the day,"_ he threatened. Hatori carefully disengaged himself from Akito's weak grip. God had spoken.

"Yes, Akito-san."

---

Hatori did what he was ordered. He took the family car and drove right to the highschool, where he asked that Tohru Honda be paged. Deja-vu crept over him as he stared out of the window of the reception at the trees outside.

_It's almost like the first time. When I came to warn her about…us. About Akito. About the curse._

He brought a hand to his head and rubbed the bridge of his nose. It was far too late now. She'd become apart of the family…whether Akito liked it or not.

Hatori hadn't liked that shiny look in Akito's eyes when the god had asked him to fetch Tohru. It made him nervous. Akito was _scheming _something.

He let out a dry laugh. _Just like the others, I want to protect her…_

"Hatori-san!"

Hatori turned quickly, masking his surprise. "Honda-san. Hello." He paused; he wasn't sure how to begin.

"Are you all right, Hatori-san?" Tohru said nervously. She could see he was paler the usual.

"What?" Hatori blinked. "Oh…no, I'm ok. I came here to fetch you, Honda-san. I'm afraid you're going to be missing your classes for the rest of the day…"

"Oh! Is something wrong? Did something happen? Did –"

Hatori stopped her with a raised hand. "Akito wants to see you, Honda-san." He watched her.

Tohru turned bright red. "…Oh!"

_Akito-san? The head of the family? It must be very important if he sent Hatori-san to fetch me! Maybe I shouldn't tell Kyo-kun or Yuki-kun…they would be so worried…but maybe they'd like to know…maybe…_

"Honda-san?"

"Yes?" Tohru whispered.

Hatori looked at his watch. "We should get going. Akito…isn't the most patient of people."

"Y-Yes!" Tohru nodded firmly. "But, Hatori-san…since I can't tell Kyo or Yuki now…"

"I'll call Shigure later and ask him to tell them where you are," the Dragon promised.

---

They were in the inner rooms of the Main House now. Tohru was uneasy. Hatori had told her that these rooms were solely Akito's, and few Juunishi or any Sohmas on the inside ever walked through here. It was dark and cool in here, and silent. A few servants passed them and vanished just as quickly as they came.

Tohru, with Hatori's comforting hand on her shoulder, was steered down a long hallway. Outside a door the doctor stopped her and turned her to face him. There was a look of quietly controlled panic on his face.

"Honda-san. Akito is quite ill right now, and on normal circumstances I wouldn't allow anyone to see him. But he insisted, and I can't disobey. Please be careful. I don't know why he asked to see you…but you must be on your guard. Akito…has problems controlling his temper."

Hatori drew his hand unconsciously to his half-blind eye. He took a deep breath. "And…address him as Akito-sama, Honda-san. He is the head of the Sohma family after all. This little mark of respect might ease him slightly."

Tohru smiled. "Don't worry, Hatori-san. I'll be careful. Thank you for telling me this." She bowed.

The Dragon smiled back, not letting her see his anxiety. The poor, simple girl didn't understand a thing. She was so heartbreakingly naïve. She thought she could handle Akito with a little kindness. But as Hatori, and many of the Sohma knew, Akito would not allow himself to be fooled.

He opened the Sohma lord's bedroom door and gestured her in.

---

Tohru peeked into the bedroom. The sudden hotness made her blink. Bedrooms like this, smelling of stale body heat and grey sweat, they were only this hot for the sick or dying. Or both.

She stepped inside. The warm heat smothered her.

Tohru could see Akito. She could see, on the double bed, a twisted shape.

"Akito-sama…?"

_That voice. _Akito lifted his eyelids. A girlish voice, unremarkable, but full of sunshine and charming childish hesitancy.

"Akito-sama?"

The god closed his eyelids again. _Let her wait_. In the meantime, he painted a picture of her on the underside of his skull. Mousy brown hair. Large, doe-like eyes. Probably had a pin of a bunny on her backpack. Sickeningly sweet. _Ugh._

"Akito-sama?" Tohru was feeling very nervous. Even the air felt infected. There couldn't possibly be any life in this stained room.

"You wanted…to see me…"

She almost screamed as the shape shifted.

"Water."

Tohru blinked. "Eh?"

"Water," rasped a hoarse young voice, "There's a pitcher of water at your feet. Fill the glass and give it to me."

She bent and grasped the bone-cold pitcher. Silently, Akito slung himself upright. He watched her mousy-brown head bob as she poured. Tohru looked up and into his face.

"Oh!" She quivered. His eyes!

"Give me the water," Akito said tonelessly. He took the glass and sipped it and watched her.

Yes, she was all he thought she would be. An expression of dumb, hopeful tenderness. Hair in braided pigtails. There was a mole on her collarbone. Boring, even hopelessly ordinary. He almost sneered.

Tohru fumbled with her hands. Akito's lightless gaze pierced her to her core. She was amazed and so wonderfully frightened…he almost like a darker, frailer version of Yuki-kun, though his eyes had a faint slant. Her gaze fell to his hands and she saw he had the palest, prettiest fingers.

She knew who he was now.

"You're that boy," she whispered.

"What?" Akito snapped.

"That boy," Tohru went on, gaining courage from the memory, "The boy I saw leaning out the window. I-I recognise you now. You're _him."_

"So?" Akito was annoyed. He didn't understand that odd blush that was once again creeping up her neck. It disturbed him.

"What are you?" he asked softly. She felt herself flush.

"I'm Tohru Honda…"

"No." Akito shook his head. His bangs fluttered. "I mean, _what are you? _Because I assume you're some sort of angel or saint to win the love of my Juunishi so **easily."**

"I…no…no, Akito-sama, I'm just a girl," she mumbled. She couldn't look into those eyes.

He leaned forward. She could smell his sweat. And then his hand was by her cheek, touching it. Tohru's mouth was slightly open. Akito took hold of a braid and yanked.

"That's what I thought. Just a girl. A foolish, silly, long-haired little schoolgirl who skips in skirts and sucks on her pencil and writes love-notes during class. I bet you volunteer for the school bake sale and study every night." He rubbed the light silk strands between his fingers and smiled.

"Am I right?"

"I…I just," she whispered. His words spiked her. She recognised that stinging hot darkness in his eyes: animosity. Perhaps he hated her before she even set foot in this room. It made her quake. She couldn't, in her simple-mindedness, understand why anyone would be that way. It wasn't _normal. _It didn't belong in bright, optimistic Tohru-world.

Akito let go of her, clutching a few hair strands in his fingers. He ripped the sheets off of him and sat on the edge of the bed. The sick, infected atmosphere pressed against him but he was all right because he was its maker. He was God.

"Hmm."

He took her chin in one hand and turned it this way and that. He looked into her ridiculously large eyes. He felt one arm, felt smooth skin and healthy young muscle. Finally he pushed her away.

"I still can't see it. I still can't _see_ what my Zodiac sees in you. You're boring, average. There's nothing very extraordinary about you on the outside…perhaps it's the _inside _that counts?" he sneered.

"'Never judge a book by its cover,'" Tohru said, her mother's saying pushing its way into her forebrain. Akito nodded.

"So true, Tohru Honda-san. Perhaps you think I should know what you're like inside." He drew a finger across his chest.

"But I already know what you're like inside: you're wet and red and squishy, Honda-san."

He smiled at her gasp. "If I were to take a knife and slice your little white belly open, would you spill your secrets to me?"

She crept back on her knees, head bowed. He wanted to grab her by her downy little nape and drag her to him.

"_Stay _where you _are."_

Tohru complied. Akito watched her for a minute, before closing his eyes.

_I want…to understand…what makes her so special. Over me. Over me me ME…_

Tohru watched as Akito seemed to drift away from himself and into his mind. She wondered what he was thinking. It looked like he was in pain. She wanted to ask him what was wrong but held herself back. Instead, she simply looked at him.

This was that boy she had seen staring at her from the window. He was that boy among the blossoms, that little dark shadow. For weeks she'd wondered if she'd simply imagined it all – he had appeared so suddenly and was gone so quietly she thought he was a ghost.

'_Akito-san's word is law.'_

'_I can't go against Akito-san's orders.'_

'_I can't disobey.'_

_So_, she reflected, _he was head of the Sohma family_. But what really _was_ he? Was he a member of the Zodiac? If so, she wondered what animal he was. And he seemed so young…too young to be in control of such a large family. Akito had this aura about him, this dark, magnetic persona that commanded absolute authority. He held himself like a king.

She realised that she had crept closer to him without knowing it, so close she could reach out and touch him. And that his eyes had opened. He was staring at her with those coal-black eyes, looking utterly furious.

Tohru gave a small scream as she was suddenly pinned to the floor. He was gripping her wrists above her head, straddling her. He wasn't heavy but it was fear and not his weight that kept her still.

"How dare you," Akito hissed. "How dare you invade my personal space without my permission. _No one_ comes near me unless I want them to, do you understand?"

"Y-yes!"

Tohru's heart beat frantically against her thin blouse. No man had ever been this close to her before, not Kyo, not Yuki. She could see his naked skin through the V of his yukata. His face was so close to hers, his bangs dripped across her cheeks…she was terrified…but she couldn't stop the hot tingly sensation in her midriff when he shifted his weight.

"Are you frightened?" the god asked softly. She nodded.

"Good." He clenched his fingers harder. She was squirming underneath him, and Akito recognised that heated little glance that flared for a minute in her eyes. Good God, the girl was almost _aroused _by him…how pathetic. His first instinct was to shove her away – then another idea surfaced.

He bent down again brushed his lips against her own.

"You will learn your place in the end, little flower. Your job is not to bloom but to be trampled on."

"A-Akito-sama, don't!" she squeaked. Her lips burned. She could feel his sickly heat.

"Don't what?" Akito let his hot breath curl against her throat and was pleased when she sucked her breath in. He found this nauseating, but if this little girl could be manipulated so easily…it was easy to act on her raging teenage hormones.

But_ her_….she was warm to the touch. Oh yes, she was scared. But a little bit of her was excited as well. He took a sip of her submission and found it exquisite.

He got off her and tugged his yukata back onto his shoulders. Tohru scrambled to her feet and adjusted her blouse, knowing she was bright-red. Akito was aloof again, emotionless as ice.

"Get out," he told her, "I want nothing more to do with you at the moment. I haven't found what it is that draws my Zodiac to you, but rest assured that I will. Your days are numbered, Tohru Honda-san."

He watched her slink out, before padding to the sliding door and looking out over the gardens. He could still feel her body's warmth cupped against him. Akito closed his eyes and smiled.

_What are you going to do, Honda-san, now that you've entered the garden of the Serpent?_

---

A/N: This is my first AkitoxTohru so sorry if it was a bit lame. Though because it's one-sided, things will definitely become more interesting. You might have to wait a while for an update though. Please review this chapter and tell me what you think.


	2. Second Meetings

A/N: I was meant to update this on Tuesday, but this prediction was totally inaccurate as I forgot the eensy details of a) me having my final exam on that day and b) having to clean the whole house with my housemates and calling to cut off water, gas, paying the final bills, packing for home, cutting off our internet connection etc. But! Now I have updated, because a reader, sm-candy, reminded/begged me to. I was really quite surprised as I really didn't think this fic was all that great XD

I don't think this chapter is all that great either, but I guess that's up to reviewers.

Sorry for not updating on Tuesday after all!

Now _read on..._

* * *

"Shigure," Hatori whispered into the phone. The doctor glanced around again. He absolutely did not want this conversation to be overheard. 

"Ha-san!" his friend squealed loudly, "You hardly ever call me, Ha-san! You're so anti-social! I could fix that right up! Why, yesterday I was saying to Aya –"

"Shut up," Hatori hissed, wondering why he was cursed with such idiot friends on top of everything else, "Shigure…I'm guessing Kyo and Yuki were wondering where Tohru was after school today?" It was better to get straight to the point.

"Why…yes." Shigure frowned. "I think they're still in the kitchen kicking up a racket. Tohru wouldn't tell them anything, she just went straight up to her room. Where was she? If you're calling me about it, it must be something bad. Ha-san is the harbinger of bad news after all."

"Thank you, Shigure. As for Tohru…Akito called for her."

"…Oh?" Shigure paused.

"I don't like it." Hatori fumbled in his shirt pocket for a cigarette. "He's started to pay more attention to what's going on at your house lately…thought I don't suppose you need _me_ to tell you that."

Shigure smiled humourlessly. He was his Master's watchdog, after all. "True, true, Ha-san. I just thought he was being paranoid, but no…"

"Akito may be planning something. He was strangely quiet after she left. I don't know what went on in there, but Tohru seemed flustered about something as well."

"Really." Shigure rubbed his chin. It looked like he would have to attempt a little heart-to-heart talk with his precious flower. He had a feeling wheedling Akito would be more difficult.

"I've no doubt you'll twist the situation to your own advantage, as always," his friend said coldly. "Unless of course you're actually concerned."

Shigure leant back in his desk chair. "Ohh, Ha-san, you're so cynical…if I talk to Tohru-kun about it and she just opens up to me because of my trusting warmth and charisma, it's because she chose to of her own free will. Nothing to do with _me."_

"You sly mutt." Hatori sighed. "Leave me out of it. The less I know, the better."

"You _will_ keep me posted on our beloved God though, won't you." Shigure twined the telephone cord in his long fingers. "I do love him, you know, Hatori, believe it or not. He is…**precious** to me."

Hatori contemplated the tone in which Shigure had said those last three words. "Yes. Of course. You'll have to excuse me, I've got to see to Akito now."

"Want to come over some time? We could have a sleep-over!"

"No." _Click._

The Dog sighed dramatically and rolled his eyes at the ceiling. He doubted if Hatori even knew the definition of 'loosening up.' That Dragon was always so tense and cold. Shigure sighed and sucked on one finger speculatively.

Well, well…Akito had wanted to see Tohru in private, even dragging her out of school. He decided to question the girl about it after a suitable interval. A few jokes, some smiles, some laughter, and she'd be putty in his paws, so to speak. Shigure chuckled.

_What are you up to now, Akito?_

---

Tohru lay on her bed, curled up, clutching her sweater to her chest. The little interview with Akito kept replaying over and over in her mind, in silent flashes: the bed, the jug, his hair, his eyes, his voice, his touch – _rewind – _the bed, the jug…

_The Sohma family really is full of princes. And I think…I just found the Dark Prince._

Immediately a warm, dark flush settled over her like a veil. She couldn't believe she was thinking this way about the head of the Sohma family! It seemed so….inappropriate. She had only just met him…

But something strange was happening to her. Whenever she thought about him, she would feel strange stirrings; feel little warm brushes painting her insides in hot glowing colours, dusting her cheeks and skin with a rosy blush. It made her warm, giddy. She sighed as she thought about his milk-white skin and hooded dark eyes.

_The Sohmas really are beautiful people…_

If she closed her eyes he would appear in her mind's memory, sitting on the bed. She remembered that expression of pain he wore, and his tightly shut eyes.

_He's in pain._

_Why?_

Tohru bit her lip, she realised that she didn't really know anything about the Sohma lord. She thought of Yuki and Kyo.

_Perhaps he too has…feelings. Tormented feelings, locked up inside him. Feelings he doesn't want to share, because as a leader, it would make him seem weak…_

_But he is weak. _She remembered his hoarse voice, his sweat, that sick, infected room. Why was he sick? Why was he in pain? Why was he so cold? Why?

She wanted to find out. She wanted to help. But who could she ask?

"Honda-san?" Yuki knocked on the door, startling her out of her warm reverie. "Honda-san? Are you all right?"

"AH! Yes, Yuki-kun!" She jumped up. "I'm sorry, I forgot to prepare dinner and it's already five o'clock!"

"Don't worry – Shigure's in a takeout mood. Do you like Chinese food, Honda-san?"

Tohru opened the door and beamed at him. "Yes!"

He smiled at her, and they headed downstairs together.

"Where WERE you today?" Kyo shouted as soon as he saw her enter the room, "Hanajima and Uotani said you weren't in class! We didn't see you all day! We thought –"

"Patience, Kyo-kun," Shigure interrupted, having just completed their take-out order over the phone. "Ha-san called me a little while ago. Akito sent for her. Now! Who likes chow mein, because I've ordered _lots_ of it!"

Kyo and Yuki gaped at him. Tohru smiled timidly. "I like chow mein, Shigure-san!"

"As you should! It makes your bones grow as strong as iron! Or was that milk? I'll ask Haru some time."

"_Akito? _What does he have to do with this? You're hiding something, you stupid Dog!"

"Elaborate some more, Shigure," Yuki interrupted in a steadier tone, "Why would Akito want to see Honda-san?"

"Why, I don't know…_I_ sure can't think of anything," Shigure said in mock surprise bordering on lecherous. "Who _knows_ why he wanted to see her…" He gave up when Kyo and Yuki began to rise from their seats.

"Okay, okay! The truth is; I don't know either." He spread his hands. "My knowledge fails there. Why don't you ask Tohru-kun?"

Tohru gulped and blushed as all eyes were on her. "Um…ah…" she stuttered, going red as she thought of her little Akito encounter. "Umm…"

"Did he do something to you?" Kyo asked very quietly, eyes darting all over face and exposed arms, "You can tell me…if he has…" Orange sparks flared in his eyes.

"Ah! No, Akito-san was very…ah…

_(he was beautiful he was pale and dark and beautiful)_

"…very polite," she mumbled, not noticing her guilty red cheeks. Shigure did though. His canine senses told him she was lying.

"But what did he want?" Yuki prodded gently. He too had noticed that warmth on her cheeks. It made him feel very odd.

"He just wanted to see me," Tohru replied truthfully. "He wanted to meet me."

Silence.

"And then you walked back," Shigure finished.

"Yes."

Kyo and Yuki looked unsatisfied at this meagre explanation, but they didn't press her. Shigure just smiled a little more widely at Tohru. Beneath those friendly curved lips was a hint of smugness.

Dinner came and went, interspersed with Shigure's usual perverse remarks and sniping between Kyo and Yuki. Tohru had gone quiet again, picked at her food, finally said goodnight and went upstairs. Kyo and Yuki looked after her with furrowed brows.

"She's not telling us something," Yuki said immediately, as soon as he heard her door shut. Shigure quirked an eyebrow at him.

"What makes you say that, Yuki-kun?"

"I don't know. The way she was acting. And stop pretending, Shigure, because I know you noticed it too."

_Clever Rat, _Shigure thought."I just noticed she wasn't as chirpy is all, Yuki-kun!" He leapt up before Yuki could question him further and made his way upstairs.

---

Sidling into the upstairs hall, Shigure reached out and knocked on Tohru's door. He wanted answers too, after all. It was time for that little heart-to-heart talk with his flower.

"Yes…Shigure-san?" Tohru peeped around the door. The Dog was pleased to see that she was dressed in a little pyjama tank top and light-blue girl boxers that showed off the slenderness of her schoolgirl thighs. He beamed.

"I was wondering if you'd allow me the pleasure of entering your room, Tohru-kun! I just want to have a little chat."

"Oh…of course!"

Shigure went over to her bed and flopped down. He patted the space beside him. "Sit down or lie down next to me. I don't mind. I won't bite, and I've had all my shots." He grinned goofily.

Tohru giggled and lay down next to him so they were about six inches apart. "What is it, Shigure-san?"

The Dog smiled at her. "Akito-san sure is pretty, isn't he?"

"Eh? _Ehh?"_ Tohru cried, this question throwing completely off guard.

"Just making conversation," Shigure went on, watching her, "Since you saw him today I thought I'd ask what you thought of him. So…he is, isn't he?"

"Oh, well…" Tohru squeaked. "Y-Yes, that is! He reminded a little of Yuki-kun, only darker…"

"Yes, they have the same haircut," Shigure mused, wondering on this. "You're right, he does look a bit like Yuki! Only don't tell Yuki-kun that, he'll take it all the wrong way."

"I never expected him to be so young," Tohru thought out loud. The Dog nodded. He stretched out so they were face-to-face.

"So…now that you've met Akito, Tohru-kun, what did you think?"

"He's…a little lonely, I think," Tohru mumbled. Shigure's eyes kindled darkly. She went on. "And he seemed so…tired. And fragile. Like if a really strong wind would break him."

"Yes. Go on, Tohru-kun."

Soothed by his warm voice, Tohru went on. "Hatori-san told me Akito-san was very ill. I saw that, too. I saw sickness in his eyes and made me feel very sad…" She trailed off and sighed. "Seeing him reminded me of…past things."

"Oh?" Shigure reached out and gently caught the tear sliding down her cheek with one knuckle. Tohru noticed nothing. The wet warmth lingered on his finger afterwards.

"Yes, like when Yuki-kun catches a cold and I'm worried because of his weak lungs. Seeing someone sick, I don't like it. It reminds me of my parents."

"Your father?" the Dog asked. She nodded again. "He was ill too…before…"

"Yes."

She sniffled a little and gave Shigure a watery smile. "It's silly of me to be worrying about things like that, isn't, Shigure-san? Silly."

"Not at all. It just shows how much you care for people, Tohru-kun. And how much you want to heal them." Shigure leaned closer so their noses brushed, his eyes brown and round and strangely dog-like. Tohru half-expected his nose to be wet.

"You feel sympathy towards Akito, don't you? You don't like to see him sick like that."

Tohru's head buzzed. Her scalp felt warm underneath her hair and her eyes felt warm too. _Is that it? I don't-_

The Dog watched her emotions course under her skin, and knew he was almost at the heart of what was bothering her. He could feel his flower's warmth through her thin pyjamas, they were so close. _And at what point would it all be spoiled? _He thought, a little sadly, _I put my arms around her to comfort her and poof, I'm a dog. _

That was where he envied Akito. That boy's blood was thick with Zodiac magic, but he could put his white arms around any girl and not transform. Not that he ever did, or even wanted to. It was probably the one gift he had – to be able to really _touch_ a woman. But Akito himself didn't realise this gift.

"Shigure-san?" Tohru whispered softly. And that look of sadness that had drifted into the Dog's chocolate eyes vanished.

"Oh my – look at me, a handsome young man lying next to scantily clad highschool girl, on her very bed! I should go now, Tohru-kun, before Yuki and Kyo find me!" He sat up. "And as for Akito…well, your heart knows more answers then I. If you ever feel like talking again, Tohru-kun…you know where I am!"

He winked at her before sidling out the door and closing it. Tohru blinked after him.

"What were _you_ doing in _Tohru's_ room?" came Kyo's indignant screech from the hallway.

"That's our little _secret,_ Kyo-kun! Don't intrude into private affairs. Why, are you _jealous?"_

"Like hell! If you've done anything, Shigure –"

"Ha ha! What makes you say that? When you're as handsome and truthful as I am –"

"_Damn mutt!" _(Bang, thump).

Tohru laid back and closed her eyes, shutting out the noise from the hallway. The bed was still warm where Shigure had lain and she snuggled into that space, drawing her knees up. She thought over all that they had talked about.

_I saw sickness in his eyes and it made me feel very sad_

_It just shows how much you care for people…and how much you want to heal them_

_You feel sympathy for Akito _

_don't you?_

"I want," Tohru started, then paused. What _did_ she want?

She wanted to find out why he was sick. Why was he was so cold. And why, most of all, why did he hate her? She wanted to know anything and everything she could find about him. Tohru felt like he was a part of her now, now that she'd met him, he was a part of her memories…and therefore, precious.

_I want…_

---

THE NEXT DAY

_I can't believe what I've just done._

_Instead of going home after school with Kyo and Yuki, I…_

…_made up some excuse and went to the Main House._

_And now Akito's agreed to have an audience with me. Now I'm scared. I don't know what I'm doing here, mom! I just...wanted to…I don't know! _

_When he finds out I have no real reason to be here…he might throw me out!_

_Oh mom, help._

Tohru looked at the ground, then up again. Akito was still. He was sitting upright, cross-legged in front of her. He was a small figure of dark grey against the background. Akito's eyes were closed.

She sipped her tea. He hadn't touched his yet.

"Why are you here," he said tonelessly.

"I…I needed to see you again," Tohru said breathlessly. Instantly her cheeks stung, and she dropped her head again. Akito's eyes remained closed. She realised how much effort it would cost him to open them.

"Why."

Tohru cringed inwardly. She'd had this stupid hope he wouldn't ask.

"I don't know, Akito-sama," she replied quietly.

The god opened one eye and looked at her. There were chocolate curls on her neck. He was unmoved.

"So. You came here. You asked to see me; you disturbed my much-needed rest." There was a faint flush on his ivory cheeks.

"And, although Hatori advised me against it, I agreed. Not out of any sort of _respect_ to you, not out of _politeness_, but out of curiosity. I thought, 'what on earth could that girl want to talk to me about?' It bothered me. So I consented.

"And so now I sit here before you, and the answer to my burning question is 'I don't know, Akito-sama'?"

Tohru rocked back and forth. This wasn't going the way she wanted it to, not at all. "I thought….since you were ill, Akito-sama…you could use some company…"

Her words sounded hollow. Akito opened his other eye, looking incredulous.

"Company?" He leaned forward. His eyes lost their sleepy, pained look and became large and dark.

"I lie in the darkness of my room every night, and I sweat, and I cough, and I gasp, and I cry. Every breath seems like it's my last. I can barely _piss _without keeling over. Fevers ravage me and leave me hot and aching. I can't keep food down. I can't keep liquid down. My throat is torn to ribbons every time I speak a single word. And all this will _never stop_. I will _never get better. _There is no miracle cure for me, Tohru Honda-san. My only hope is that I will pass away in my sleep."

He sat back. "What sort of relief do you think you can you offer me?"

Tohru blinked back her tears. She wasn't hurt at what he said, it sounded _awful. _She wanted to cry for him. And to think he suffered this alone…

"M-Maybe…you won't feel so alone, Akito-sama…if I were with you."

He stiffened. That's exactly what it looked like. As if every nerve and fibre in that slim body had suddenly turned to wood.

"Did I say I felt alone?"

"No…"

"That's because I don't," Akito said harshly. "And if I do, then it's natural. Gods are not within the same spheres as regular humans like yourself. You forget that, Tohru Honda-san. You forget I am a God. I am the God of the Zodiac. I am dying, I am bleeding for them. I bear the _core_ of the curse."

This last speech left him winded. Akito took the little soup bowl in his shaking hands and slopped some of it down. The warm broth gave him strength.

"There's nothing of yours I want, Honda-san. Except for a few years off your life and added to mine. But you can't give them to me." He set the bowl down with a clang.

Kami, she was looking at him with such an idiotic expression of soppy tenderness and pity. He wanted to dash the tea jug against her head. His palms itched.

"I'll ask you again: why did you need to see me?"

"I wanted to see you."

Tohru sucked her breath in. She hadn't meant to say that aloud. Her face was so hot…

"You _wanted_ to see me," Akito repeated. He looked utterly perplexed. "Why?"

"Just…to see you," the girl whispered.

A static heartbeat; he flung his teacup at her. It whistled past her arm and shattered on the wall, spilling everywhere.

"Just _to see me? _What sort of idiot reason is that? Am I some sort of thing you look at in a zoo? You came all the way here just **to look at me!"**

"I don't mean it like that!" Tohru squeaked.

"_Then what do you mean? I – "_

Akito stopped, gasping harshly. His face had gone the colour of chalk. She had risen to her knees, one hand outstretched toward him. He glared at her.

"Don't….don't even…"

He let himself fall back, the ceiling swam above him. If he could just stop talking and breathe, everything would be alright. Breathe in. Breathe out.

He realised his hand was clutching something. He opened his eyes a little more and saw **her **leaning over him. It was **her hand **he was gripping so tightly. Akito gathered his weak strength and flung it away.

"No," he rasped as she rose to get Hatori, "Sit. Don't get him. Sit. I just…need to…"

His breath ran out. Akito closed his eyes and willed his lungs to inhale. Sweat poured down his face. After a time, he could breathe easier.

The god lifted his lids, hoping that she'd gone away. But no: she was near him, kneeling, watching him with that soppy look, like he was a puppy that had just been run over. It made him want to vomit.

"_Stop looking at me like that." _

She obediently turned her face away. Akito gripped the floor to stop the room whirling about him. Her pity felt like spit on his cheek.

Tohru stared blankly at the dark tea-stain spreading on the wall. Behind her she could hear Akito's thin, rattling breaths. She knew, without turning, that his thin body was spread in a semi X-shape, that his yukata had slipped so one shoulder and one heaving side were exposed, that his hair was like a spill of night on the paler floor.

She wanted desperately to get Hatori, so he could see if Akito was alright. But her legs wouldn't move.

Tohru gave the god five more minutes, before slowly turning her head. Akito had struggled up, his legs spread, weight back on his arms. His head was lowered between his shoulders. She flinched as he looked up suddenly and pierced her with his eyes.

"Get Hatori," he said, in a whisper, "Get him and then get out. I have nothing more to say to you."

She didn't move.

"_Go."_

Tohru sprang up and ran from the god's hot bedroom, running until she reached Hatori's office. She gasped out her story, bowed, then stayed fidgeting outside the door hearing the doctor's long, competent strides die away.

Then Tohru sunk down against the wall, and pulled her knees to her chest.

* * *

A/N: All right, I didn't like this chapter a whole lot other then Shigure and Tohru's interaction and the last Akito scene. I seem to be getting more lazy lately with my writing. Well, when I do post another chapter I'll put more effort into it :D So: did you like it anyway? Hated it? Indifferent? Share the love and review! 


	3. A Golden Invitation

A/N: I have to say I'm very surprised with the amount of reviews I've gotten for this fic. It wasn't well thought-out, the first chapter I posted just a draft, completely unpolished, the second chapter ditto. Also it was one-sided love, which isn't as popular as the AkitoxTohru smoochy smooch fics I see on this site. And yet, some people seem to love it. My jaw is hanging open.

(And the reason I'm doing it one-sided is because I hate Tohru, as I said. She's a doormat. I want to stick her with forks). And I love Akito, because he's hot. XD

A big thank you to Sm-candy here, for emailing me with her ideas for new chapters (I was seriously struggling on what else I could write), so most of the content here is made up from her suggestions, with minor changes. Thank you so much!

* * *

Tohru cautiously peeked around Akito's bedroom door. All she could see for a moment was Hatori, his tall frame bent slightly as he tended to his god, who was now lying in bed. Hatori was talking in a low voice, and Akito was responding in his hoarse murmur. Finally the boy flopped his head back onto his pillow and was instantly asleep. 

Hatori didn't sense her and moved away to close the curtains, giving Tohru a full view of Akito, asleep. She could hear his phlegmy exhales, as if he was breathing through clotted lungs. There was so much sickness in that awful death-rattle that she closed her eyes.

"Honda-san?" came Hatori's quiet voice, "What is it? Do you need me to drive you back?"

"No," she replied, eyes still on Akito, "No…I want to stay. For a bit longer. If that's all right, Hatori-san."

"I certainly don't mind, but won't you worry Kyo and Yuki?"

"I'll call them," Tohru responded vaguely. "I just wondered, maybe, if it's not too much to ask…if I could help Hatori-san?"

"What?"

"Just, help you," she murmured, reddening. "Help you with Akito-san."

The Dragon looked at her, at the wisps of hair that had escaped her braids and fluttered around her flushed face, her fidgeting hands. He was puzzled.

"Ok," he said slowly, unable to think of a good reason why she shouldn't. "Go back to my office – there's a medicine cabinet there by the door." He gave her a list of drugs he wanted, just in case, and watched her flutter out.

On putting his hand on the boy's forehead he discovered Akito was a little clammy to the touch and his breathing had deepened to a wheezing. It was, he thought gloomily, the exertion from seeing Tohru, and from losing his temper. He had warned Akito not to see anyone, but of course God didn't listen to him, God could do what he liked. Hatori jerked when a hand clamped onto his wrist.

"_Is she gone," _Akito hissed between breaths. Hatori smoothed the boy's bangs back from his forehead.

"No, Akito-san–"

"I told her to _get out!"_ Akito howled suddenly, flinging Hatori's wrist away. "I told her to _get out, get out, I don't want her here-" _

His lungs closed up and he retched. "Get – her – out!" he wheezed. "I don't want her, I don't, she came here just to _look_ at me..."

"Calm down," the doctor begged. He sat Akito up so he could breathe easier. Akito clung to him as his fever rose and engulfed him: a hot, roaring wave that swept his body up and tossed it endlessly, saturating him from skin to bone.

It was always the same. As he floated in this hellish heat he was aware of nothing, could see little in his watery vision, it was amazing how soaked he was with sweat but his throat remained so dry and parched. Sometimes he became aware he was clutching a hand that didn't feel like Hatori's, it was too small and soft, and trembling, or he would see eyes that weren't his Dragon's but so full of compassion he ached.

He came to know those little hands even more, they touched his forehead and stroked his cheeks, lingering sometimes, and he found himself oddly grateful.

When the fever abated, allowing Akito to sleep from sheer exhaustion, Tohru watched him for a long while. When he'd thrashed and moaned she'd been frightened, although Hatori had explained this was normal, for him, and sooner or later the drugs would win the fight. The large snowy pillows dwarfed his head and made him seem smaller and thinner then ever; under his cream-coloured sheets he didn't look frightening, just pale and waxen.

She would always remember the faint look of pathetic gratitude that was in his eyes whenever she clutched his hand. Tohru stored it carefully away in her memory, and, as Akito was now deeply asleep, she let Hatori lead her away from the bedroom.

---

It was evening. Akito awoke to the sound of murmuring. Hatori stood with his back to him, only just in sight, in the hall outside his doorway. He appeared to be talking into his cellphone. The god slowly sat up in his bed.

"No…no, he's sleeping. No, I don't know why she- what? Well. I don't know anything about that…oh shut up, Shigure. No, he's asleep, I said-"

A pale hand curled around his arm. Hatori looked down into Akito's ink-black eyes. His 'You're-supposed-to-be-in-bed' speech died in his throat.

"Give me that phone," Akito said quietly. He took the cell from Hatori's unresisting fingers and pressed it to the warm cup of his ear.

"Shigure?"

The Dog choked on his tea at hearing his god's hoarse voice but recovered magnificently. "Ah, Akito-san! How nice it is to speak to you –"

"I gathered from you and Hatori's conversation that you really _wanted_ to speak to me, Shigure," Akito interrupted. "Well, here's your chance. I'm listening."

"I was just curious, Akito-san, as to why Tohru Honda keeps turning up at the Main House. I thought there were no secrets between us."

"There are plenty of things I don't tell you, my Dog," the boy said coldly. "Did you honestly think your puppy eyes and jokes could fool me?"

"No," Shigure replied. He grinned. "…You think I have puppy eyes?"

"Goodbye," said the phone.

"No, wait! Joking aside," Shigure went on, "I have something I think you should know. About Tohru."

"What?"

"Well, first tell me what happened when you first sent for her."

"Nothing happened. I saw her, saw how boring she was, sent her away." Akito's mind glanced briefly over the memories of him pinning her to the ground dismissed them. They meant nothing to him, so he saw no reason to mention them to his sly Dog.

"Is that it?"

"Yes. Why?" Akito said in a dangerous tone.

"Oh, nothing. It's just when I spoke to her, she seemed…a little breathless. Dreamy. Flushed. Yes, she had the look of one who has sipped the potion of love…"

His words were met with stark silence.

"…I don't know what you're talking about." Akito struggled to mask his incredulity. _Love?_ With…him? _Her?_

Hatori saw the god sway on his feet, paler then his sheets, and made to grab the phone but Akito nimbly dodged.

"All right, Akito-san. I'm just saying, you'd better watch her carefully in the future. We all knowwhat would happen if you _did_ happen to fall in love," Shigure said, quietly sad, quietly triumphant.

"You don't know _anything,"_ Akito spat in sudden fury, gripping the cellphone so tight there was a slight cracking sound. "Leave Tohru Honda-san to _me._ I'll decide what's to be done." He closed the call and shoved the phone back at Hatori.

Alone on his bed again, he pondered what to make of Shigure's revelation…if that Dog wasn't just lying through his pointed teeth. Even so, that Honda girl was acting strange around him…or _he_ thought it strange, he didn't really like the company of females and so didn't know how they usually acted.

Maybe this was one of those female – he struggled to remember the term Hatori used – hormonal adolescent things?

Either way, Shigure made one good point: he'd have to keep an eye on her. There was no telling what a girl in love would do. He privately thought that 'love' was perhaps too strong a word for it. Maybe she was just mildly infatuated. He hoped so. He had no time for things like love. With his life-span, it wouldn't be worth it, and it would ultimately make his end more painful and sorrowful. He didn't want that.

_So why does she persist? _

_Well, she doesn't know, does she? She doesn't know that I'm dying. She only knows I'm always ill. _

_Even if she did, she'd still persist. Because she's like that: soppy. She'd keep on loving me, but it would hurt me._

_It does hurt me. I don't want someone to be in love with me like that…and remind me of things that could have been…should have been…_

"Oh, stop it," he muttered.

He heaved himself onto his elbows. At least he knew what he must do, in order to watch her. It was simple, really. And Golden Week was coming up. No one would suspect anything. And if Shigure said anything…well, dogs needed to be given a kicking every now and then.

Akito chuckled.

---

It was Friday afternoon. Tohru sighed dreamily as she walked out into the school's quad. She loved bright and sunny days like these, days that smelled of summer, of freshly-cut grass, warm earth and green leaves. Everything, the tall school buildings, the asphalt underneath her feet, was bathed in a hazy glow. Tohru smiled to no one in particular and settled on a bench to wait for Yuki and Kyo. They'd had a fight in a school hallway and were being held back to clean up the classroom. And after that, they would all walk home together.

"Hello."

The light was suddenly blocked out and Tohru squinted at the person in front of her. The sun was behind his head so all she could see was a dark outline until her eyes adjusted. Then she gasped.

"A-Akito-sama?"

He gave her a friendly half-smile. Tohru saw he was wearing all black, his clothes fitting snugly to his slender frame so he looked either like a spy or an assassin. Looking into his inky-black lidded eyes, she thought he could be both.

"Akito-sama…what are you doing at our school?" she asked, then remembered who she was talking to. She leapt to her feet and bowed. "I'm sorry, for not showing my respect!"

He waved this away. "I have something to say to Yuki and the others…and to you too. But all in good time," he added, for he saw two girls approaching them.

"Yo, bitch," Uo said amiably to Tohru, letting her hand drop on her shoulder. She gave Akito a shark grin. "Who's this? Are you guys flirting? Are we interrupting something? Is he your boyfriend?"

"Boyfriend!" Tohru spazzed. "No! Goodness! Akito-sama is not my boyfriend…never…that would be unheard of…umm…"

"Akito_-sama?"_ Uo remarked, giving them both a weird look. She nudged Hana. "And we thought Yuki was the prince…"

"Indeed," Hana replied thoughtfully, staring at Akito with what Tohru thought was almost rude intensity. Akito stared back, unperturbed.

"OH MY GOD! IT'S GOTH YUKI!" someone screamed.

"Eh?" And before the others could say anything, Motoko and her minions had descended on them.

"Yuki-kun! When did you decide to go goth?" Motoko cried passionately, grabbing Akito's hand and clutching it tightly. ""We saw you talking to – _her_ –" (she flapped her hand in Tohru's direction) "And then we saw your lovely hair and we knew it must be you, even though you dyed it black it suits you Yuki it really does –"

She cleared her throat. "Now we shall have to rename our fan club to – are you ready? – The Goth Prince Yuki Club!" This was punctuated by cheers from the other members.

"Uh, hello? Use your eyes?" Uo snorted. "That's not Yuki."

"Of course it is! I know my Yuki when I see him!"

"I'm not Yuki." Akito pulled his hand from Motoko's with a look of distaste. "Yuki is my cousin."

"_Another_ Sohma?" Uo exclaimed. "I knew it! With those looks, you'd either _have_ to be a Sohma or a model…"

"Another Prince…" Motoko murmured, looking at Akito with heart-shaped eyes, "And he looks just like Yuki-kun but darker…my heart is torn in half…"

"I happen to be," Akito said coldly to the swooning fan club, "Akito Sohma, the head of the Sohma family."

"That explains the Akito-sama," Hana remarked quietly. To Akito's discomfort, she was also giving him appraising looks.

"For real?" Uo crowed. "You must be frickin' rich…nice one, Tohru." She nudged her friend. "Cute _and_ loaded."

"My thoughts exactly," Motoko purred. "So, Akito-san, are you enrolling at our highschool? Because we've decided to start another faction of the Prince Yuki Club, in your honour! We'll call it – ready? – The Dark Prince Akito Club!"

Before Akito could open his mouth, there was a gasp behind him.

"Yukiii!" the fangirls trilled. "Oh, and hi, Kyo-kun."

Kyo didn't say anything. Instead, he walked over to Tohru and pulled her up, away from Akito. Yuki was staring at Akito with pallid terror in his eyes. Kyo looked away. Akito ignored his Cat, as if Kyo were nothing more then mud on his tailored trousers, and instead greeted Yuki.

"Why so frightened?" he said to other boy quietly, leaning in so close their bangs touched, "I'm not here to do anything to you or that Honda girl…in fact, I'm going to do something nice." He leaned back.

"Tohru Honda, tomorrow you're coming with me to the Sohma onsen." He smiled as she gasped. "Think of it as a part of your hospitality living under the Sohmas. In fact, Yuki and Kyo are coming too," he added, to Kyo's hiss. "In fact, it'll be a strictly family affair, with Tohru as the guest of honour, of course. Only those _close to me_ will come, for Golden Week."

Yuki looked like he was going to say something but his pale grey eyes wilted under Akito's black gaze. Kyo scuffed at the ground with one foot. Tohru clutched herself in disbelief at the honour that Akito had just bestowed on her. The summer day spun and whirled around her head.

"Thank you," she said breathlessly, noticing even more clearly how the sunlight gilded Akito's dark head in bronze, lightened the deep depths of his eyes. The god smiled and she felt herself melt inside. _Akito-san!_

Akito held out his hand to her. And, feeling unsurprised, she took it; it felt as smooth and angular as a girl's. She let herself be pulled away from Kyo.

"Walk with me," Akito said simply, "I'll give you a lift back to Shigure's." He completely blanked the other Sohmas and everyone else and led Tohru away across the quad to the tree-strewn border that met the road.

"Huh," was Uo's comment on the situation, "A bit weird, isn't he?"

"You have no idea," Kyo muttered. He was smarting at how easily Tohru had left him for Akito.

"He has a very strange aura," Hana said in grave tones, and everyone turned to look at her. "For most people, their aura is a halo of light around their form. His wasn't. It radiated outwards from him in great waves, from the core of his heart. As if it was somehow separate from his body."

She didn't tell them how it made her skin tingle whenever it brushed over her, how it moved and somehow _saw_ through you like it had its own terrible sentience. She had a feeling that the dark-clad boy was merely a vessel which that power occupied.

"A strong aura," she said aloud, "The spirit is powerful…but the flesh is very weak."

Hana looked at Yuki and Kyo, who were still staring after Tohru. It was a strange phenomenon – and one she would keep in her heart, to herself, who understood these things – but when Akito had been standing next to them, tendrils of his _(life-force?)_ energy had reached out fused themselves to the boys' hearts. There they had stayed, feeding whatever substance they contained, while they had talked, unaware. Then Akito had left, and the tendrils thinned, vanished as he walked away, but, Hana thought, not _completely._

"So passes Hanajima's daily wave and aura report," Uo yawned. "Do you think Tohru will go after him?"

"Well he _is_ beautiful," Hana replied in analysing tones, "And he's rich. And he seems to prefer dressing in black, and his eyes and hair are black as well…you can't go wrong there."

"You two would actually make a pretty good match," Uo cracked.

"Yes," Hana said dreamily, "but I think Tohru beat me to it."

"What?" Yuki turned his head around.

"Didn't you notice how giggly and flushed she got whenever he spoke to her?"

"Or how moony she looked?" Uo added. Kyo and Yuki shook their heads. "Figures. Guys are dumb. She's **so** got a crush on him."

"No way!" Kyo shouted. "What kind of girl would like someone like Akito?"

The girls gave him a Haven't You Even Been _Listening_ To Us? look.

"Plus," Hana added, "her waves reacted to his. They bloomed and rioted whenever they spoke."

"And he just invited her for a dirty weekend at the spa, so that seals it," Uo finished. She and Hana gave each other a high-five. "Are we good or what?"

"_Dirty weekend?" _Kyo shouted after them as they started to walk away, ""What are you talking about? HEY! Don't ignore me!" The Sohma boys ran after Uo and Hana, who were cackling.

"Goodbye, Yuki-kun!" Motoko called after them, and sighed when Yuki waved over his shoulder. The fan club shouldered their backpacks and settled into a lively debate about who was more attractive, Yuki or Akito, as they disappeared into the lengthening afternoon shadows.

---

Tohru clutched Akito's hand tightly, forcing its every contour and knuckled ridge into her memory. Akito walked briskly, breathing a little heavily, and led her through the tree-shaded path to the street where a black car was waiting by the curb. Tohru sucked in everything, making sure to imprint the transparent leaf-shadows crawling across the car's black hood on her brain, Akito's firm grip; sunlight off the chrome spiralling into her eyes; the wiry muscles on Akito's back working through his tight black top.

He opened the door for her and flicked his hand in an impatient gesture. "In," he muttered, "The heat's making me feel dizzy."

She crawled across the spacious seats and settled herself. New car scent settled in her nostrils: leather, chrome, vacuumed upholstery. It was an expensive smell and one she was unused to.

Akito slid back the glass pane dividing the driver's seat and the back seat and spoke to the chauffeur. "Shigure Sohma's house," he rapped, then closed the pane and sat back.

He watched her for awhile, one hand under his chin, legs crossed, until she began to fidget from embarrassment.

"Are you pleased?" he said finally. "Normally, no one outside the Juunishi are invited when I decide to take a break at the onsen. But I had a feeling that if you didn't go, they'd pine for you. You have them wrapped around your fingers." His voice was sarcastic.

"I am honoured, Akito-sama," she said quietly, deciding to ignore the last remark, "I've never been to an onsen before, I'm sure I'll have a lovely time."

He glanced at her sharply in case she was mocking him, but she stared back with frank large eyes. Akito rolled down the window a crack to let fresh air in; the afternoon was getting hotter and filling the car with stuffy heat.

"I'm tired," he announced, as if suddenly bored with her presence, "It's five more minutes to Shigure's if the traffic's light, so I'm going to nap for a bit until we get there. You just sit there and not make any noise."

"Okay."

He laid his head back against the seat and closed his eyes. In no time at all he was asleep. Tohru was vaguely shocked at the god's supreme confidence in his surroundings.

She preferred him this way, when he wasn't looking directly at her with his depthless eyes, and she could admire him safely as one would view a statue. He looked younger when relaxed in sleep, more her own age then a couple years older. Every now and then he would cough, his hand coming up reflexively to his mouth before dropping.

Tohru laid her head on the seat too, watching him, lulled by the low hum of the engine. Sleep didn't take her, but every now and then she would blink as if waking from a trance; only to find her gaze rooted again to the boy opposite; with his milk-and-cream complexion, fine-boned hands, and his face with that young but somehow worn beauty.

After a minute she realised with a start that his eyes had opened half-way, looking at her from far away.

"Why," Akito mumbled, voice thick with sleep, "Why did you stay and…help Hatori? Help him?"

"He looked tired and he looked like he needed help," she whispered back, knowing that the glass dividing panel was soundproof and their speech was their own. "So I did."

"That's not the real reason."

Roses bloomed in Tohru's cheeks. She said nothing. A knowing, mocking gleam passed into Akito's eyes. He stretched out a hand and tugged her chin forward.

"Is the real reason...because…"

The car halted and the jolt knocked them both out of the moment. Akito blinked his eyes rapidly a few times and shook his head. Tohru climbed out and he followed her, caught her by her thin wrist and turned her around.

"Remember tomorrow," he said in a low voice, "A bus will come to pick you up to take you to the onsen. Be late at your peril. As the host, the very least courtesy you could give me is punctuality."

The boy stood still for a moment, blinking in brightness and heat. "Remember," was all he said, before sliding back into the cool car. The door slammed. Tohru felt a slight tug as the black car pulled away leaving dust to settle by her feet.

Numbly, she turned to walk back inside and prepare dinner.

---

The Zodiac God stretched full-length out on the back seat, his head propped on the door. There was warmth under his calves where Tohru had sat. He was feeling a little too hot now, not because of that girl (his stomach curdled at the thought) but because his clothes were black and tight and it was high summer after all. He would need to get new clothes. A bead of sweat crawled down his temple and he brushed it away. He really didn't like very hot weather – for him it was just like being in the grip of nightmare fever.

Akito bit his lip thoughtfully. Now that he and Tohru were spending the weekend together, he really could no longer think of her as a complete stranger. Even their recent conversations, the way she had so readily grasped his hand, her bright eyes…

"It's all too familiar," he thought out loud. "She's acting like I'm her friend or something." _She ought to know her place. _

_All in good time, _he reflected, looking out the window. _All in good time._

* * *

A/N: So, whaddaya think? Fun at the onsen next chapter! Review! 


	4. Summer Heat

A/N: Ummmm. So I've updated finally. Um. I don't have any particular feelings toward this chapter. It took so long for me just to get up the motivation to actually write the thing, that I'm afraid it's not as, you know, good. But if you like it, then I like it.

Looking at the story stats, I see that Sympathy for the Devil is on a _lot_ of people's favourites and story alerts. So it's only fair that I get a lot of reviews, ya know what I mean?

The first part of this chapter has a bit of closeness between Akito and Hatori. I can't help it. I'm a die-hard AkitoxHatori fan so whatever Furuba fic I write there will be inherent AkitoxHatori-ness. I love this couple. So yeah, some light implied AkitoxHatori…will this pairing become stronger throughout the story? Maybe, maybe not.

Another thank you to Sm-candy for providing ideas for content and even what the characters should wear.

And a special thank you to SunMoonAndSpoon for providing moral support, plot ideas, fangirling with me over AkitoxHatori-ness, and fangirling over Akito in general. XD It helped, it really did.

---

Akito lay outside the sliding door of his porch, watching as dusk deepened into amorous darkness. The wooden slates were cool underneath his legs and he pressed his cheek against them in pleasure. A spill of light from the room behind him lay across his back. Any minute now, he thought, Hatori would be along with his meal and medicine.

Sure enough, a few minutes later he felt his Dragon's cool collected aura behind him. Akito smiled into his sleeve: he knew his Dragon so well.

"I've brought you some soup."

"Yes."

"You shouldn't lie so exposed like that, if you don't mind me saying, Akito-san."

"Nonsense, Hatori." The boy stretched out a milky hand and caught a leaf that was gliding though the air. "It's summer – the air is balmy and holds no chill for me. Are you busy?"

Hatori wasn't fazed by the abrupt question. "No. Not for you."

"Then sit."

The Dragon did so and Akito positioned himself in his lap, his dark head against Hatori's shoulder. They sat in silence for a while. A cricket started to chirp, and was joined by another.

"May I ask something?" Hatori said slowly. Akito nodded. "You told me that Tohru Honda was coming to the onsen with us this weekend…"

"And you want to know why." Akito nestled his face against Hatori's neck and breathed in the Dragon's crisp smell. "Well, I'm not sure myself. I don't trust her. I don't know much about her. I want to bat her around a little bit with my paws." Akito narrowed his eyes.

Hatori felt a subtle change in the lithe body between his legs. The muscles had stiffened and he felt a dark coldness radiating from the god.

"I hate her," Akito said tonelessly, "I hate her, Hatori. Hated her from the first moment she looked at me. I hate her smiling face, her large eyes, her cheeriness, her voice. I hate how she touched me…held my hand…_intruded herself into our lives."_

Akito turned his head and regarded the doctor. The light from the room behind threw large shadows into the sockets of his eyes. Somewhere in that darkness Hatori could see Akito's pupils glinting.

"I hate how she ruins all of my carefully laid plans. How she insinuates herself into every little detail. How, somehow, she becomes the centre of all my Juunishi's hopes and fears. I hate how you and all of my animals look at her, Hatori. No. Don't speak. Don't lie to me. She reaches even the Cat. Even that abomination has some hope that he too will be saved." He paused.

"The question is: what shall I do about her?"

Hatori didn't answer.

"The answer is: nothing yet. I will watch, and wait, and watch some more. I _will_ get what I want. There is no place for her at our banquet. There is nothing that can alter the plan that God had laid out..."

The boy shuddered suddenly and Hatori ran a hand over the fragile spine. "Akito-san. We should go inside now."

"All right." Akito slipped from his lap and crawled back into his warm room. The soup and tray lay on the floor so he eased onto his stomach and began to sip it. He nodded at the Dragon.

"Pack my clothes for the onsen, Hatori – I'm too tired now."

Glad that his god's dark mood had vanished, Hatori removed a small suitcase from the closet and surveyed the clothes that were hanging in there. Something light, he thought, for the days were getting hotter, so he removed two yukatas and surveyed them. One was black silk, with red silk underlining – it was Akito's favourite and he wore it mostly for occasions. Hatori carefully folded it.

Akito sucked some broth from his fingers and watched the doctor slowly and methodically pack. He had no doubts about his Dragon's loyalty, but sometimes…he caught a certain look, a certain feeling…and it was then he knew that there were some wounds inside Hatori that hadn't scarred, but still bled and rotted, and he could not touch them. And then there were the Dragon's eyes: serene, cold, and infinitely sad.

It didn't matter, the god told himself, even with all that it didn't matter one bit, the Dragon was bound to him, and could not leave him….he couldn't…

"Akito-san?"

He jerked, upending his spoon, to see Hatori kneeling in front of him. There was concern in the doctor's eyes.

"What?"

"You were…for a moment, I thought…" Hatori trailed off. Akito had been looking at him, in such fear and sadness that a leaden weight had settled in his heart. "Is something bothering you, Akito-san?"

The boy didn't answer, and instead reached out and lifted Hatori's chin slightly. Akito searched his Dragon's eyes.

"You wouldn't leave me for _her,_ would you, Hatori?"

_Her. _"Never, Akito-san."

"Good." Akito withdrew.

Hatori stayed and helped the boy change into his sleepwear. The lamps had been turned down to fill the room with a soft, mellow light. Hatori gently unzipped and pulled down the black trousers, replaced them with creamy Egyptian cotton, hands innocently brushing across the boy's puerile hips. Hatori buttoned up the pyjama shirt, nails lightly glancing across Akito's milky skin. Throughout the whole solemn process not once did their gazes waver.

And when Akito crawled up him like some baby animal to plant a chaste kiss on the curve of his jaw, Hatori felt his arms wrap around the warm young body of their own accord, and he held his lord for a moment, their hearts beating between them. From the fleeting, throbbing glance Akito gave him, Hatori knew his devotion was sealed.

"My clothes are packed?" Akito murmured against Hatori's ear.

"Yes, Akito-sama."

"Then lie down with me."

The doctor removed his shoes, let Akito snuggle into the bed and drew the covers over him. He settled beside his lord, the blankets a chaste barrier between them and let Akito wind his fingers in his shirt.

Surprisingly, it was Hatori who drifted off first, Akito watched the bluegreen eyes glaze and glassen, and then shut. He smiled and closed his eyes, happy in the knowledge that there was at least one person Tohru would not take away from him.

---

THE NEXT DAY

_1:00 p.m._

Tohru leaned her head against the bus and watched the scenery outside. Kyo had fallen asleep and Yuki was reading a paperback. Shigure, who was more restless, kept singing little ditties under his breath about young love or inviting Yuki to play idle little car games like I Spy to pass the time, all of which the Rat declined. Every now and then Shigure would turn his head and smile at Tohru, a mysterious little smile. It said _We have a secret, don't we?_

And she would flush when she saw it, and think of Akito-san, and her and Shigure talking on her bed.

She wondered what they would do at the onsen. Shigure, when she'd asked, had waxed poetic about sitting under green trees, bathing in the springs, padding about in kimonos and yukatas and eating simple but delicious dinners around a long low table under soft lamplight.

"You make it sound romantic," Kyo had grumbled, and Tohru agreed. It sounded nice. More then nice.

She leaned forward and nudged Shigure cautiously. "What does, um, what does Akito-san do? I know he invited us, but…"

"Do?" Shigure looked back and grinned his doggy grin. "Well, he kind of goes there for his health. The springs are supposed to have healing properties. Oh, and since we're his guests, all the Juunishi have to spend a little time with him at some point. Have a chat with him on what we've been up to, as if he didn't know already." He chuckled.

"Will I have to?"

He gave her a strange little glance. "Well, I don't know. That's up to him, isn't it?"

"What else happens?" Tohru said quickly, cringing at his knowing, almost mocking look. She felt guilty for no reason she could think of.

"We-ell…we just try and have a good time, generally, there's plenty to do. After our little chat sessions, he usually leaves us alone," Shigure went on, "You really only see him at dinner."

"Oh."

"And sometimes…oh, look, we're here!" Shigure squealed suddenly. And Tohru looked up, saw the pale wooden buildings through a grove of trees and felt her heart lighten.

She, Kyo, and Yuki stood blinking in the sunlight while some men removed their luggage from the bus. A pair of pale hands curled around the entrance doorway followed by pale, haggard face.

"_Welcome...to…the…onsen…" _a zombie-like woman intoned. Tohru bit back a squeak.

"Ah…n-nice to m-meet-"

"_I HOPE YOU'LL HAVE A WONDERFUL TIIIIME! ANTHING I CAN GIVE YOU, YOU JUST ASK MEE! MY CLOTHES, MY FOOD, MY SOOUULL!"_

"OK!" Tohru shrieked back, feeling like screaming in sympathy. "Whatever you want!"

"Oh yeah, _she's _still here…" Kyo mumbled. Yuki put a hand over his face.

"Honda-san, this is the onsen's okami. She's in charge of all the maids and servants here…"

"Oh?"

"Yes. Why don't you kiddies run along inside and meet everyone else?" Shigure drawled, pulling the woman lightly away from them. "I just need to have a quick word…"

Tohru looked back as Kyo took her hand and led her in, watching Shigure and the woman speak in grave tones.

The teens walked into a small living area, where the other Zodiac members were seated, including, to Yuki's distaste, Ayame. Tohru saw a few people she knew, and a lot she didn't. She saw all of their faces had that strange, radiant beauty that marked them as Sohmas, those cursed of the Zodiac. Next to them she felt dull and ordinary and she lowered her eyes, aware that they were looking at her with polite, cool curiosity.

"Is this that new girl everyone's been talking about –" began a long black-haired teenager, her voice full of bored arrogance, when a soft noise made them all look around.

Akito stood there, one hand resting lazily on the sliding door he'd pushed open. Everyone went quiet. The boy let his dark eyes drift languidly over each of them. When they rested on Tohru they barely flickered. He smiled.

"Welcome," he said softly. He was clad in a cream-coloured yukata that made his black hair and eyes stand out. "Welcome, my Juunishi. And…Tohru Honda, of course."

Everyone's eyes were on her again. Tohru felt like she was intruding. Suddenly, she didn't want to be here. She didn't belong. She was normal, and they resented her for it. She wasn't one of those cursed, beautiful people.

Akito's voice flowed back into her head like some dark and mysterious tide. "You are free to relax and use the afternoon as you wish to unwind from your journey. Then in the evening, I hope you'll join me for dinner. Tomorrow…" his inky eyes hooded slightly, "…I hope each one of you will come by my rooms and see me. Some of you I haven't seen for quite some time."

The Juunishi shifted slightly. Akito nodded. "Remember…I love you all."

A thin smile curled like charred paper on his lips. Then he turned and strode away. By some unspoken agreement, Ayame, Hatori, and Shigure rose and followed him.

"_Tohruu!"_ Momiji almost knocked her over as soon as the adults left the room. "Tohruu! Let's go outside and I'll show you the grounds! They're so pretty and we can play games and stuff-"

"Down, Rabbit-boy." Haru put his elbow on Momiji's blond head. The other Juunishi were wandering off, some cast curious glances back at Tohru. Momijii grabbed her hand.

"Have you seen your room yet? Or what's in your closet? Some clothes have been bought for you to wear while you're here, if you want!"

"Clothes? For _me?"_

"Traditional clothing is given as a gift for anyone who visits the onsen," Haru explained. "Like, I've got some yukatas in my room. But you don't have to wear them." He gestured at himself. "I'm totally stylish as it is."

"Let's see what she can wear!" Momiji dragged Tohru off with Haru ambling after them. Kyo and Yuki looked at each other.

Kyo jerked his head toward a side room. "C'mere. I wanna talk to you for a minute."

"About what?" the Rat said shortly.

"Just _c'mon,_ you arrogant bastard," Kyo spat. "This is important. It's about _her. _But we need more privacy 'cause these walls have ears."

The Cat led Yuki into a large pantry with various food items on the shelves. He closed the door lightly and looked into Yuki's large grey eyes.

"Let's get one thing straight," Kyo muttered, scuffing at the ground. "I don't like you and you don't like me. That's fine. But I'm talking about Tohru here. Akito invited her here for some reason and it can't be a good one. So…the plan is we _both_ look out for her, alright? For her sake."

"Ok," Yuki said slowly. He was impressed that Kyo had actually thought about the situation. He himself had privately questioned Akito's motives. The Rat cleared his throat. "I don't like the little thing that's going on between them…if what Uo and Hana said was true."

"I don't like it either," Kyo said fervently. "Something happened when Akito called her out of school. She's been acting so strange! I wanna know what he's done, because…" He kicked a can on the floor, "…she's just being tricked by him, that's what! She doesn't know how cruel and mean he really is.

"It's like he's woven a spell around her."

They were silent.

"That's right," Yuki agreed bitterly, "if Honda-san knew…"

"'If Honda-san knew,'" Kyo mocked. "You can't even call her by her name, can you? What's _with_ you?"

"Shut up," Yuki snapped. "I'm trying to think."

"Go on and think then," Kyo said softly, his feline eyes slit. "Because that's what you're good at, isn't it. The Rat is the _smart_ one."

Yuki ignored the bright orange head to his left and focused his gaze on the light fixture overhead. He felt strange and shivery - like he was experiencing the beginnings of an unbelievable nightmare. His instincts told him they – him, Kyo, Tohru - were all standing on the edge of something dark and deep, a few more steps and it would be all over, they would all spiral down into that black abyss called Fate.

"We should tell her," he mumbled, "Tell her what he's done. Show her." He shifted uneasily, remembering the lash-marks on his legs, on his waist. _Show her what he's capable of. Show her that no one can stop him._

Kyo nodded, face set. "And in the meantime…don't let her get near Akito."

They walked out of the pantry back into the brightly lit rooms of the onsen, towards the guest suites where Tohru's sunny voice floated downstairs.

---

_3:00 p.m._

Tohru, Kyo, Yuki, Haru, and Momiji were playing on the lawns of the onsen. Tohru and Momijii were spinning each other about, letting to go to fall giggling to the grass. The older boys had found a Frisbee and were leaping in the air and shouting and laughing. The bright sun gave their limbs a downy, dusty, golden glow. The teens' voices wafted upwards to a window where a dark shadow was watching them.

Akito let his dark eyes hood slightly. Tohru was clad in a light purple kimono with trailing yellow flowers, matching the yellow ribbon in her hair. There were grass stains on her cheeks, bits of grass in her hair, while the sun on Kyo's head made it look like his head was aflame in orange. The boy-god caught the little glances the Cat and Rat gave Tohru at intervals. He was surprised at their looks of such naked wanting.

"How?" he asked himself. "How does she do it..?"

"Do what, Akito-san?"

Shigure's hands settled on Akito's thin shoulders. Akito didn't remove them. Instead he leaned his head back so it brushed Shigure's chest, staring directly into the man's chocolate eyes.

"You're all bees," he told the Dog, "Bees around a flower full of honey. Aren't you?"

The Dog smiled. "If you say so, Akito-san." He ran a hand through Akito's dark hair. "Won't you come and have some tea with us? You've been staring out that window for an hour."

Shigure, Ayame and Hatori were in the living area connected to Akito's room. All were dressed in dark blue yukatas, with dragons embroidered on the back. The Mabudachi Trio had been making small talk while their leader had gazed out the window, now Akito joined them again and settled against Shigure.

Hatori's mouth thinned slightly as Shigure leaned forward and whispered something into Akito's neck, making the boy squirm. And he bit his lip when Akito let the Dog slip a few sly fingers into the V of his yukata. The God and the Dog spirit had always been close, but Hatori had a prickly feeling there were certain intimacies he didn't know about that sometimes went on between them. The sly smiles, secret looks and covert touches that they gave each other…the thought of them together brought acid to his throat and a strange hollowness to his heart.

Shigure smiled into Akito's nape as he sensed the Dragon's accusing stare. The boy-god was so beautiful, he couldn't _help_ but touch him, run his fingers over the snow-white skin, those lithe limbs, and sometimes, taste those pale pink lips…he chuckled. Akito seemed to have sensed his thoughts for he gave the Dog a mocking look before speaking.

"Tell me," he said, "tell me all you know about Tohru Honda."

"I don't know that much, Akito-san," Shigure answered. "She's only been with me for six months…"

"Just tell me what you know."

"Okay." The Dog paused. "She doesn't have any parents. Her mother was killed in a car accident, I think. I don't know about her father. She used to live with her grandfather."

"Is that it?" Akito swilled some tea around in his mouth.

"Ehh…sorry, Akito-san. She really doesn't talk about her background that much. Though she seems to have a strong attachment to her dead mother. She carries a little picture around with her…"

"Her _mother?"_ Akito practically spat. "What's so special about her _mother?"_

The Mabudachi Trio shared glances. They had to tread carefully here. This was a sore subject for Akito, for Ren, his own mother, had made it perfectly known since Akito was a young boy that she hated her son. It was one of the many reasons for Akito's sullen, silent bitterness.

"We don't know, Akito-san," Aya said lightly. The Snake saw a dark look sink into Akito's eyes and he felt worried.

Shigure lightly massaged the boy's shoulders. "Let's talk about something else, eh?"

"No." Akito bent his head forward and rubbed his temples. He was starting to feel achy. "I'm going now. I'm going to spend some time in my private spring. I want to be left alone. _Alone,_ you understand? No medicine, no interruptions, only get me if it's an emergency."

"Of course, Akito-san."

"And later, I'll see you all at dinner."

The three men all stood, and gave their lord a parting kiss on the cheek. Akito walked away without looking back, sleeves trailing behind him. Shigure grinned as the door closed.

"Isn't he a pretty thing? No wonder Tohru-kun fell for him…"

"What? _What?"_ Aya cried at Hatori's warning noise, "This is gossip I haven't heard of! And you didn't tell me right away, Shii-san! Shame on you!"

"Don't worry, my love." Shigure giggled as he picked up his overnight bag from the floor. "I'll tell you all in a second…"

---

Akito shivered lightly as he turned off the shower, fully cleansed and ready to slip into the spring's healing waters. He caught his naked reflection in the mirror to his right and regarded himself. Shigure had left a faint suck-mark on the side of his neck and he hissed in annoyance. There was another just above his hip, from earlier in the day. The boy rubbed at his throat until the mark disappeared. Satisfied, he walked out of the shower room and around to the edge of the spring.

The god had two springs to call his own: an outside pool _(rotenburo)_ and an inner one _(onsenburo). _The afternoon was warm and scented with blossoms, so he'd chosen the _rotenburo_ as his place to relax; it was the largest natural spring in the onsen.

He slipped his body in by degrees to allow his skin to get used to the hot temperature. The water was dark, sheened in gold by the sun, like his hair and eyes. The heat suffused slowly up his body and the god shuddered in pleasure. The ache in his muscles went away.

After a few minutes of feeling the mineral-rich water soak into his skin, Akito felt his body grow strangely languid and relaxed. His mind followed suit. It seemed to flow out of his skull like water and hang suspended in a foggy mist around his head. He could feel his senses slipping away…

Akito's eyelids drooped and his head nodded forward. In no time it all he was asleep.

---

_4:00 p.m._

"I'm just going for a quick soak before dinner, Kyo-kun. I'll be perfectly fine – I'll see if Kagura wants to go in with me."

"Yeah, I know." Kyo shuffled his feet. "It's just while we were all outside I got the feeling we were being watched. I just want you to, you know, be careful."

Tohru giggled. "Careful of what?"

"Anything." Kyo felt his mouth dry a little. "Anyone. Tohru-"

"Don't worry," came Haru's mellow voice suddenly from behind them, "I'll go in with Tohru into the spring to make sure no nasty stalkers or perverts come near her. That's ok, isn't it?" He a put a hand on Tohru's shoulder.

Kyo reddened. "Like hell!"

"Oh, I don't mind if Hatsuharu-kun wants to join me, if he wants to," Tohru replied, blushing.

"See?" the Ox drawled. "Everything's all peachy here, Kyo-kun."

"That's not the point! The onsens aren't mixed sex! And I _know_ what you're doing, Haru, you stinking-"

"You're just jealous. You'd like to be naked in the hot spring with Tohru, wouldn't you, Kyo, you can't hide it from me I can read your dirty mind – OW!"

Tohru edged away as Kyo started pummelling every inch of Haru he could reach. "Eh…I'll just see if I can find Kagura…I'll see you two at dinner!"

She flitted back to her rooms and found a fluffy towel in her bathroom. She then wandered off to find Kagura but the Boar was engaged in an epic Nintendo battle with Hiro, so Tohru then asked a maid where the springs where and then tried her bumbling best to follow the directions. Needless to say, she got lost. Tohru wasn't sure if she was trying to get to the indoor or outdoor pools and stood helplessly between the buildings wondering where she was.

She decided to follow a little path that circled the outer edges of the onsen. It brought her to large pool nestled in the rock, vapours rolled off the surface to melt at her feet. Tohru stared into its dark, glistening surface.

"What are you doing?"

Tohru almost fell in. She whipped her head around and saw Akito staring at her from the spring's far edge. His arms were resting comfortably on the sides and he was looking at her in quiet anger.

"Akito-sama…" she breathed, "I…I was looking for the springs…and I got lost…um…" She tried hard not to look anywhere below his head. Thankfully the water was too dark to make out anything, but his glistening clavicle and shoulders were distraction enough.

"You can't come in here," he told her curtly. "This is my private spring. I was enjoying the privacy and silence until _you_ came along."

"I'm sorry…I didn't know…"

The boy studied her for a moment. Then he smiled a secret, private smile that she didn't like.

"Come in with me."

"What?"

"Undress and come into the spring. After all, that's what you want to do, isn't it?"

"Ah. Um." Her mouth wasn't working. She furiously hoped it was the spring's heat that was making her face red.

"There's changing and bathing rooms over there," he went on, waving a hand. Then he laid his head back and closed his eyes, ignoring her completely.

Tohru crept over to the small wooden room and nervously undid her yukata. She saw there were grass stains on it and hoped Akito hadn't noticed she'd dirtied the pretty fabric. Wrapping a towel over herself, she shyly crept back out again.

Akito opened his eyes and gave her a once-over. "Idiot," he sneered, "you're supposed to take a shower beforehand. What did you think those taps were for, anyway?"

"I'm sor-"

"Go and cleanse yourself off thoroughly. There are soaps and sponges in the shower. Make sure you remove every last speck of dirt, because I _don't_ want to sit here and wallow in your _filth. _Don't you know anything about proper onsen etiquette?"

"I've never been to an onsen before, Akito-sama," Tohru mewed, feeling shame rising in her chest.

"That's obvious."

"I'm very sor-"

"And stop apologising."

Tohru washed herself with the soaps as commanded, rinsing off twice very thoroughly. Wrapping a towel in her hair and around her waist, she slunk back out in greater humility then before.

The god watched as she shyly sat on the spring's edge and put her feet in. She was holding the towel to her tightly and was refusing to look him in the eye. Akito smirked at her maiden-like behaviour.

Tohru took a deep breath. Well, this wasn't too bad…as long as she ignored Akito's onyx gaze it was alright…

"And your towel," came his hoarse voice, "Remove that."

She looked at him wide-eyed. "But…"

"No one wears a towel into the springs. That's a gross breach of etiquette. There should be nothing between you and the water."

"I can't."

"You will." His voice was cool. "After all, I've just given you special permission to enter my private spring. Now you're telling me you refuse my offer, and it offends me greatly, Honda-san, that you would give me, the host, such arrant disrespect."

He smiled at her appalled look. "You forget that the reason you're living with Shigure rent-free is because I let you. Your life, comfortable as it is, is in my hands. Remove that towel."

And she did. She didn't know which was greater, the mortification at her nudity or humiliation at his words. Tohru began the process of easing herself into the water aware every second that Akito's eyes were on her bare body.

Although Akito didn't like Tohru in any way, he couldn't help feeling some warm stirrings when she'd shed her towel and sat squirming on the spring's edge six feet away from him. The sight of her small round breasts and blushing face was strangely arousing. Her teenage body was pale and slender, not full and rounded like a woman's. The warm sulphurous heat made their skins glisten. Akito bit his lip.

Tohru was now submerged in the spring, but she was still uncomfortable because her breasts were still visible and she covered them with her arms. She tried very, very hard not to think about the fact that she and Akito were both naked in a hot spring. It wasn't working.

Akito was annoyed. Annoyed at Tohru, because she was everything he hated, and at his own treacherous body for responding to her nubile loveliness. His frustration grew at the mixed glances she was giving him, both frightened and curious.

"Come here," he said softly.

She did. She slowly inched her way towards him until she was a foot away from his shoulders. Her eyes were tightly shut.

The god smiled dreamily. The heat of the springs managed to turn everything into a relaxing calm. With slow, sure certainty he placed one hand on the girl's nape and felt the skin. Tohru's eyes opened and she looked at him in confusion.

Akito smiled languidly at her. _This is a test, Honda-san. For you and for me. Everything…a test._

"What do you think?" he asked her. "What do you think of the hot springs? Are enjoying them?"

"Yes," she managed. His dripping black bangs and flushed pale skin kept swimming into her vision. "Yes, they're very nice."

"Good." His hand slipped down her spine, fluttering over her vertebrae. "And what do you think of me, Honda-san?"

"I…what?"

"Don't think I never noticed," Akito went on, his voice melting and flowing into her ears, "I've seen the glances you give me. The look in your eyes. The way you react…" she was quivering under his fingertips, "…when I touch you."

"I think you're…" Tohru trailed off.

"Let me put it this way." The boy cocked his head. "Am I…attractive to you, Tohru Honda-san?"

"Yes," she whispered. _Yes. Yes. More then attractive. You're beautiful, Akito-san, absolutely stunning. All the Juunishi are beautiful but you're their God, you shine above them all. Your touch burns, your voice is hoarse and low and lovely…oh, I want…_

His hand had trickled around to her thigh, his finger was describing lazy slow spirals on her hipbone. She squirmed. And then he was so close she could feel his shoulders brushing her own, and then his mouth was on her neck, kissing it, sucking it, his tongue was hot and so was his breath…

She didn't know what to do. She was ignorant. All she could do was let it happen.

His lips trapped her own in a graceful kiss, his experience pressing into her utter lack of it. She let him in, trying to match his tongue and lips. He pulled away.

"No," he muttered, dangerous sparks in his black eyes, "No…don't you dare tempt me…I won't let you…" He looked angry at himself.

"Akito-san…I want…" she tried, glowing from sensation. She hadn't heard his words.

"I see." His mouth widened into a cruel smirk. _"You_ want _me."_

Tohru gasped as he pulled her to him.

_I'll make you want me so much you can't stand it._

Kissing again. This time she timidly trailed her hands down his unfamiliar male contours, rising up again to grip his wiry shoulders. His fingers moved from her hip to her inner thigh where he stroked her in soft fluid motions. She moaned into his mouth.

"Oh, don't…Akito-san…"

"Don't what?" he whispered, pulling back to look at her.

And he was shocked – shocked because of the stark wanting in her eyes, similar to the desire he'd seen in Kyo and Yuki's eyes. At first, he felt fear. Then arrogance. Then a realisation: he could use her. He could, if he was careful and subtle enough; pluck and grasp the strings of her heart.

This thought caused a rippling shudder.

Tohru blinked as Akito let go of her and stared into the distance with clouded eyes. A bead of sweat traced his cheek and she watched it cling to his jawline before falling. Akito brushed a hand across his damp forehead.

"I'm getting out," he muttered, turning away, "And you…leave."

"I…yes," the girl stammered. And suddenly, she felt as if a great, cold wall had been shoved between them. The torrid darkness in Akito's eyes had vanished, as if snuffed out.

Getting out was easier said then done. The nearly-scalding water had turned their limbs into jelly, left their heads empty and buzzing. The teens crawled out, shivering as the cooler air assaulted their tender soaked skins. They didn't even notice their nakedness.

Akito staggered to his feet, head whirling, and wrapped his towel around his waist. He looked down at Tohru, who clutched her towel to her as she looked up into his cool eyes.

The silence ticked by. Tohru waited for him to say something, anything. But Akito just kept on staring at her with that flat, emotionless gaze. At last he turned away and walked past her, without looking back, a rustle of bushes and he was gone.

Tohru slowly gathered herself up. The shaky fear she'd felt when their eyes connected was dwindling. She hadn't liked that look on his face. As if she was nothing more then an object, or an obstruction; his face betrayed no hate, it was simply terribly, terribly uncaring.

The lighted buildings of the onsen twinkled just ahead of her. Dusk had fallen quickly and stars were coming out. The lighted windows and lamps seemed cold and far away. She stood quickly and hurried toward them, her whole heart aching for light and laughter.

---

Akito leaned woozily on a doorway. Those hot springs were treacherous; they calmed his mind but also sapped him of strength. He was flushed and panting. His limbs were shaking. He wanted Hatori, right now.

"Hari," he mumbled, propelling himself onto a wall for support, "Hari."

A foot snagged in the rug and he fell forward but strong arms caught him and lifted him effortlessly. Akito found himself looking into his Dog's gleeful face.

"Why hello, Akito-san." Shigure was smiling.

"Let go of me." Akito strained half-heartedly. He didn't like that smile.

"Now now, Akito-san, I don't think that's a good idea. Those hot springs make you incredibly weak, especially someone of your health." Shigure relished the feeling of the smooth bare back in his hands. He nuzzled the boy's damp neck and felt him squirm slightly.

"Why don't I put you in your bedroom, Akito-san?"

"No." Akito curled his lip. He knew what the Dog wanted.

"Bur you should rest a little before dinner. And…" Shigure looked at his face, "Why, your lips, Akito-san…they look a bit…raw."

Akito met the perverted stare head-on. "It's none of your business."

"I think it is." They had reached his room now, Shigure closing the door behind him with one foot. Then he brushed his own lips against Akito's.

"I thought this mouth was mine alone, Akito-san."

"Nothing of mine is yours." Akito let himself be laid out on the bed. Shigure sat next to him, his eyes dark, and that same gleeful little smile on his lips.

The boy didn't object as the Dog leaned over him and trailed fingers down his damp chest, stopping to finger the towel knotted at his waist. Akito turned his head away. He was too tired and weak to fight it. It was easier to let Shigure get what he wanted and then send him away.

"You're lovely, Akito-san," the man said softly, reaching up to brush his bangs away, "Especially like this." He kissed the soft forehead.

"You really are a god. A body this beautiful should be worshipped."

"I know." Akito shifted as Shigure brought his elbows down on either side of him, so close their noses touched.

"I can't help it," the Dog sighed, running a hand down the slim waist, "I can't help but want to touch you, Akito-san…you tempt me." He looked remorseful.

"I know." _I tempt everyone._

"I'll do whatever you want."

"I know," Akito repeated. He ran a hand down Shigure's face. "You're my faithful, loving Dog…" He sucked his breath in as Shigure loosened the towel around his hips.

"Yes. I am." Shigure kissed the pale abdomen.

Akito smiled and lazily tangled his fingers in his Dog's dark hair.

_You're my faithful, perverted mutt._

---

A/N: Oooh. A bit of scandalous Akito/Shigure shounen-ai. I love it. Shigure's such a perv, and Akito's so pretty, it's pretty obvious he would be all over him. XD Mmm.

I hope this chapter was ok. I spent soo long on it that bits of it are like…nyeh. I'm having trouble writing about Tohru, I don't like her. Oh well…

If ya like this fic so far, then review, and go check out 'Everybody Wants Her' and its continuing sequel 'Burnt Rice', which contain some fabulous gritty Akito/Tohru and Akito/Hatori. Both are by SunMoonAndSpoon, And both are great. So go read 'em and review, ya hear?

I've various ideas for the next chapter of this fic, I'll see what fits best. See ya then. Loyal reviewers, I love you all.


End file.
